Sander's public persona as the underdog may be the key of his success, as voters appear more curious about a newcomer that symbolizes change in establishment politics.

When she's not bike riding in Brooklyn or hanging with friends, Mo can be found writing news, op-eds and feature stories for HelloBeautiful.com. As a proud black feminist, Mo's writing credits include The Root, For Harriet and The Feminist Wire. She has also frequently appeared on Arise TV as a cultural and political commentator. @MoniqueEJohn

Clinton has been putting noticeable effort of late to pick at the credibility of Sanders’ campaign. She’s derided his stance on gun control by portraying Sanders as a supporter of the National Rifle Association. The New York Times also suggested that Clinton has also been appropriating some of Sander’s ideas like raising the income tax for those making over $5 million a year.

A victory oSanders in Iowa would be a big surprise, since Clinton is much more historically affiliated with Blacks and minorities, she has support from the most popular Democrats in the state including Senator Tom Harkin and Governor Tom Vilsack, and she has endorsements from unions and groups like Planned Parenthood. However, Sander’s public persona as the underdog may be the key of his success, as voters appear more curious about a newcomer that symbolizes change in establishment politics.

Aides who spoke to the New York Times anonymously admit that Sander’s campaign is better funded and organized than they’d anticipated. They also are wondering if Clinton’s smaller, intimate events will resonate strongly enough with voters, considering that Sanders has been able to bring out exceptionally large and engaged crowds. Analysts have been going as far to say that Sanders could serve as a strong contender to the most dominant Republican candidates, namely Donald Trump.

The dwindling enthusiasm is becoming palpable at Clinton events. Her latest gathering in Waterloo yielded commitment cards from only half of the audience.

Read more on the divide between the two candidates at the New York Times.